Hehe, we studied those three in Year 6 (to everyone's amazement) and the text we read (the Gifted and Talented group including me) found it to be solely about Socrates (with really brief mention to Plato, and none to Aristotle) so the text was biased in that. Don't really have an opinion myself though... It's probably locked up somewhere behind a closed door which I don't have the key to unlock yet.

Hehe, we studied those three in Year 6 (to everyone's amazement) and the text we read (the Gifted and Talented group including me) found it to be solely about Socrates (with really brief mention to Plato, and none to Aristotle) so the text was biased in that. Don't really have an opinion myself though... It's probably locked up somewhere behind a closed door which I don't have the key to unlock yet.

We didn't even read a book, it was just an extract from a chapter of a work book or something, supposedly about the "Greek Philosophers - Plato, Socrates and Aristotle" when it only talked about Socrates, which is where it was biased.

We didn't even read a book, it was just an extract from a chapter of a work book or something, supposedly about the "Greek Philosophers - Plato, Socrates and Aristotle" when it only talked about Socrates, which is where it was biased.

Discovering that there isn't any topic that's not discussed on CW Interest in Philosophy is something that happened suddenly to me about 5-6 years back.

Thing with choosing a great philosopher is that they have to be put in their historical context. Someone like Aristotle, while unquestionably one of the greatest intellectual influences, may not be appreciated by a modern mind as much. I liked Kant's philosophy on innateness of space and time. Also liked rather pessimistic and melancholy philosophy of Shaupenhauer.

As I read more though I ended up admiring Karl Popper most (mostly here). Loved both his idea of Falsification and the critique of Historicism. Amazing clarity of thought. To come up with something so original and also not overly abstract as late as in the 20st century is quite an accomplishment.

Would put Descartes and Aristotle above Nietzche tbh. I think Aristotle is being under rated here ...............but seriously Aristotle completely changed the way almost all fields progressed for the next two thousand years. His formalization of the principles of logic is probably the greatest intellectual achievements of antiquity (if that is what that period is called)

Originally Posted by 8ankitj

Thing with choosing a great philosopher is that they have to be put in their historical context. Someone like Aristotle, while unquestionably one of the greatest intellectual influences, may not be appreciated by a modern mind as much. I liked Kant's philosophy on innateness of space and time. Also liked rather pessimistic and melancholy philosophy of Shaupenhauer.

Apologies for a random bump

Indeed was surprised nobody had mentioned Kant as yet. Was a gun philosopher. That is the only thing I remember now though

Last edited by smalishah84; 12-04-2011 at 09:24 AM.

And smalishah's avatar is the most classy one by far Jan certainly echoes the sentiments of CW

Yeah we don't crap in the first world; most of us would actually have no idea what that was emanating from Ajmal's backside. Why isn't it roses and rainbows like what happens here? PEWS's retort to Ganeshran on Daemon's picture depicting Ajmal's excreta

Reading Nietzsche's Thus Spoke Zarathustra atm along with stuff about or by Nietzsche. When you read some of his nihilistic passages along with his obvious passion it's easy to see why he went insane...

Nah, great writer and champion of existentialism and in attacking age old, mostly religious, doctrines. Was rather sad that Dawkins didn't mention him in The God Delusion.

Listening to his music's like reading one of his books. It's full of emotion but not over excessive. Many composers could have made the albumblatt a twenty minute movement of a piano concerto. Nietzsche might not have been able to do this but he also probably didn't want to imo, preferring his short and to the point style.

Kant was a genius in metaphysics and meta-ethics but I think his ethical 'Categorical Imperative' seems a bit silly tbh. As well as having obvious flaws, how did he think he could just tell people the absolute rules of right wrong? Rather despotic to say the least...

Kant was a genius in metaphysics and meta-ethics but I think his ethical 'Categorical Imperative' seems a bit silly tbh. As well as having obvious flaws, how did he think he could just tell people the absolute rules of right wrong? Rather despotic to say the least...

Haha. Totally agree. Kant's metaphysics rocks but his thoughts on ethics were quite inane. Happened with a lot of philosophers of early modern period. Descartes is another example. Does a great job with his "I think therefore I am" but totally spoils it with his silly argument for God's existence.